Sand washer and separator



E. D. MERWIN.

SAND WASHER AND SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I6. 1920.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Skye/2e Maw/111 WASHINGTON.

SAND 'WASHER ANB SEP-.RAEOR- Application filed February 16, 1920.

.lie it known that i, linenrm D. Malerin, a citiraen oi. the United States, residing' at tieattie, in the (.:ounty of King and State ot dashing/'torn have inrcntcd certain new and usetul improvements in Sand llfashers and reparaorsl.. oit which the 'following is a specilication.

lviy in rention rela tes to improvements in r ipa ratns For washing and grading,r sand and gg 'arel and the object ot n'ry improvement is to proride a derice oi' this nature that will separate the grarcl Vtrom the sand and that 4will separate and grade the sand With respect to and. Will Wash the sand thoroughly thereby removing` all clay and earthy matter. x

Another object is to provide a sand Washintel and grading device that is'constructed and arranged so that the vWater that is discharged therefrom will loe practically tree lroin all iine sand, clay and earthy matter that would tend to settle in pipes or flames through which the discharge Water is reinored from sand Washer.

A further object is to provide conveyor means for removing the refuse matter t'rorn the sand hox and to provide automatic derices for opening adischarge orifice and hashing oit the rei'use comprising the Very fine sand7 clay and earthy mattei' when the water in the sand hoz; rises above a predetermined level.

ii. still ttul-ther ohject is to provide means tor governing the discharge of sand into the box and to provide means 'for utilizing` the power ot a descendingstream of Water sand and gravel for driving certain parts et the se'iarating device. i i

@ther novei features reside in the means 'For controlling the inlet of Water to the sand hex and in the cylindrical screen having a tclcscopieally adjustal'ile casing,thereorcr to govern the discharge oi water.

rthe invention consists 1n the norcl constructifni, adaptation and combination oi parte ot a sand washer and separator as will he more clear-l5v hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a View in 'Vertical section ot a sand and gravel washer and separator constructed in accordance with my invention; Figure 2 is a sec* tional View ot the bottoni portion of the saine Qnlistantialiy on a broken line 2, 2 of Figure l;

'ire' 2? a rien' in cross-section Specification of Letters Patent. )gpvtQn-(gd Mii-13 21 152,22.

Serial No. 358,899.

suhstantially on a hrolccn line 3, 3 of Figure c 2; Vhigado t is a detached View in elevation ot a bucket wheel into which the sand is delivered as .it enters the sand box; Figure 5 is a riew partly in section and partly (in ele.a tion snlistantially on a broken line 5` 5 ot l@fugare 4t and Figure G is a View in cross scctiop on broken line (i7 6 or' Figure 5,

.niko reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several vieuis.

.eiierring` to the drawings, the numeral 'T d .gnates a rectangular hex provided in its upper portion with an inclined gratins; 8 upon which Water; sand and gravel may he delivered hy a rotary Wheel. 9 that is' arranged to receiye the said Water sand and gravel from a chute 10 and that serres to spread the saine out and distribute it more evenly over the g:ating,v v8 than would ordinarily he possible it the said Water, sand and gravel were deliveredv directly from the chute lO onto the zgrating.

As the gravel passes downwardly over the grating 8 the smaller stones and sand will all. pass through such grating and drop onto a screen ll directly therehelow While the larger stones will pass over the grating and may he discharged through a chute l2.

ythe sand and pea `gravel Will drop through the screen ll ontoa pea gravel screen 13, nhile the graded gravel `will he discharged through a chute lei at the end ot the screen il. The sand will drop through the pea gravel screen 13 into a hopper l5 while the pea gravel which is usually awaste product may he discharged through a chute 16.

All o'f the above mentioned parts may be of the usual standard fornrof construction, this inyention residing in the sand Washer to he hereinafter explained, which, together with the gravel separator, forms a coniplcte f rent of Water in the passageway 20 will tend to crowd such Water sideuise against a vertically adjustable screen 21 that 1s ine enough to prevent the passage therethrough -the disk.

As the sand descends through lthe passageway 2() it is Washed by Water that 1s emitted 'from perfor-ations 23 in transverse pipes Vjustment of the screen 21 also ei'ects 24, the direction oil i'iow ot such water being` substantially at right angles to the direction of movement ot the sand.

The larger and heavier particles ot sand continue in almost a direct path tothe bottom of the box While the liner and lighter particles are deHected toward the discharge side of the box according to their size and specilic gravity the lighter particles el very 'line sand', clay and earthy matter settling `at the farther side of the box. Y

The sides of the sand boi; preferably converge toward the bottom as shown in Figure 1 so that the sand settles into a hopper shaped receptacle 25. VThe upward current of water is strongest near the bottoni oit' such receptacle owing to the tact that the cross ,sectional area oi'the hopper decreases toivard the bottom.

Extending lengthwise ot the hopper shaped receptacle 25 a short distance Vtroni the bottom thereogiA is a -pipe 26 having'pertorations in the top thereof to direct jets of Water upwardly and having` other per-` forations in Vthe sides thereof to direct jets of Water sidewise to thereby keep the material in the bottoni et the hopper slightly agitated and prevent .it from settling, or packing in a solid mass.V

Disposed above the pipe 26 in an inclined position is another pipe 2'? having perforations on its upper side 'for directingjets of Water u Wardly and toward the discharge side of tie box. The pipe 27 is preferably arranged so that it may be adjusted Vinto different angular positions by raising or lowering the end thereo'r' that is nearest the inlet side ot the sand box.

V'The pipes 26 and 27 together with the pipesQ- may be regulated to control the direction oi" flow oit thecurrents ott water Within the box thereby controlling:` the separation oit the sand The vertical adthe distribution and grading of the sand. ln practice it is preferred to construct the screen 21 so that it may be entirely removed from the box and a solid adjustable Vpartition wall substituted in its place.

Disposed longitudinally Within theupper portion of the hopper shaped receptacle is a cylindrical screen 28 otvery line mesh that is Wound upon and supported by a `framework or inner cylindrical screen 80 ot greater strength and coarser mesh. The cylindrical screen QS pre'lerzlibly extends enifi-ideen tirely across the hopper 25 and is secured to the shaft 22 so that it will be rotated by the turning ot such shaft. The rotation ot the screen 28 keeps the meshes Washed clean ot dirt and clay and prevents the screen from becoming clogged so that the 'ater cannot pass the ethrouglr V A discharge openingl 31 is provided in the Wall ot the sand box Within the boundaries of the end ot the screen so that all water that is discharged therethrough inust first pass through the fine mesh ot' the screen thereby makingv it impossible 'lier particles et tine sand, clay and the like to be carried over with the Water.

The outer vend ot the shaft 22 is preterably provided with a disk 32 against which the discharging water may loiv to i counteract the end thruston such sha'lit orcasioned by the movement oi the angularly shaped buckets 17 through the Water.

The cylindrical screen 28 is provided 'with an adjustable and extensible jacket coin- Jarising a plurality of telescopic sections preferably et sheet Vinet-al that iit snugly thereover and may be adjusted to Ygovern the directionv of 'flow oit the currents ot 1vater Within the sand box. The screen will preferably be made slightly larger near the discharge end so that the larger outer jacket section's' Will lit snugly thereon.

The discharge' Water may be carried away through a flume 3a. n

is screen ofiine mesh that is provided in the discharge side ot the sand bof; near the bottom thereot'and 8G is an adj ustable gate arranged to regulate the area oi? effective opening throughA such screen.

The gate 36 ivill ordinarily be regulated to permit the discharge et relatively sniall aniount of Water through the screen 35.

Disposed flush With the bottoni of the hopper and just below thescreen 35 .is a rela-- tively large refuse discharge pipe 37 Whose outer end is arranged to be opened by the lowering and closed by the raisingr of' a `gate '38. The bottom end ott the gate 38 is connected with a Weight 40 by which the gate Will berloyvered to open the discharge pipe 37 as hereinafter explained While the top end ci' the 38 is connected with a cable 471 that passes ujnvardly over pulleys ft2 and 4:3 and thence downwardly and is se Vcured to a lfloat eti that VHoa-ts upon the Water in the sand box. lt an excess of clay and refuse accumulates in the end ot the hopper 25 it will usually clog the screen thus Vchecking the {low-v ot water through such level in the sand box is'lowered the fioat 'ist will move downwardly and will lift the gate 38 and close the pipe 87.

The graded. or classified material in the bottom of the hopper Q5 is drawn off through openings 45 that are cach arranged to be opened and closed by a separate gate 4G. Two separate conveyors 1li' and i8 arranged side by side are provided below the openings l5 one of such conveyors being adapted to convey away the washed and graded sand and the other conveyor being' adapted to convey away the refuse. The conveyors may discharge into separate hoppers or chutes 50 and 5l as shown in Figure 8. The reiuse will collect at the discharge side ot the box and will ordinarily be drawn oli? through the two openings i5 nearest to that side.

The conveyors /land -zl-S may be ot the well known link belt and slat or bucket typo and are ln'eferahly driven by the power derived 'from the discharging material that comes down the chute l() and drives the wheel 9. The shaft on which the'wheel f) is mounted may be connected by a sprocket chain 52 with the shaft 22 which shaft 22 may be connected by bevel gears 53 with a shaft 54.- that is connected with other bevel lgears that serve to drive the conveyors.

The impulse ot the sand and water in the buckets 17 also helps to drive the shaft 92 and conveyors 47 and t if additional power is needed it may be supplied in any well known manner.

The operation ot my sand washing and gradingr machine is as follows: Sand and water trom the chute l5 is delivered into the buckets ot the wheel i8 and is dropped by these buckets with comparatively vlittle agitation into the water in the passageway 20. As the sand moves downwardly toward the bottom of the sand receptacle.. it subjected to the action ot' the water from the pipes Q41 moving in a direction at substantially right angles to the dir-ction ot movement oi the sand. The water washes out any dirt and impurities from the sand and by reason ot its movement toward the discharge end of the box. carries or detlects the sand toward the discharge end oi such box, the larger particles oit sand settling more rapidly in the current ot water and the smaller partieles settling more slowlif and being dotierted a greater distance toward the discharge end ot the box so that the sand is lgraded with respect to the size ot the grains the eoarser sand collecting in the bottom o'l the hopper shaped box near the inlet end and the Vfiner particles collecting in the bottom of such hopper near the discharge end.

The current o'f water near the outlet end of the box will not be as strong as the current lin other places and the very fine sand and silt will settle at the extreme discharge end of the hopper shaped receptacle and may be removed through the discharge pipe 37. The water that passes through the screen Q8 and is discharged through the chute' will be practically free from fine sand and silt that would tend to settle in pipes and sewers so that such water may it desired be discharged into a city sewer without danger of clogging' the same. The grains ot sand that are deposited in the bottom of the hopper shaped box will be of gradually decreasing' size from inlet to discharge end of such box so that by drawing o'tf sand at diti'erent points along the length ot such boX different grades ot sand may be ohtained.

In operation my sand washer is eilicient both in washing and in grading the sand, and the water that is discharged from the same is practically 'tree 'from heavy solid matter that will settle and clog a sewer or flume into which the'water empties.

The machine has a large capacity in pro portion to its size and the arrangement ot the conveyor system permits the material to be discharged constantly from the hopper thus eliminating any danger ot clogging. Y

The conveyors -l nd 4:8 being connected to the shaft on which the impulse wheel 9 is mounted serve as a speed governor insuring a steady motion to such wheel and making possible the more even discharge oi material onto the grating 8.

It will be understood that changes in the form, dimensions and arrangement of parts oi this device may be made within the scope of the following claims.

lilhat l claim is:

l. A. sand washer and grader comprising a V shaped receptacle having discharge openings arranged at intervals along the bottom thereof, a vertically adjustable screen disposed near one end wall of said receptacle to leave a narrow passageway between it and said end wall, a plurality of water pipes disposed near said end wall and perforated to deliver jets of water toward said screen, means for introducing sand at the top o said passageway and a water supply pipe arranged to extend lengthwise along the bottom of said receptacle and having a pivotal connection near the discharge end ofi? Vsaid receptacle whereby it may be adjusted. into various angular positions, said water supply pipe having perforations in the upper side thereof.

Q. A sand washer and grader comprising a V shaped receptacle having discharge openings arranged at intervals along the bottom thereof` a vertically adjustable screen disposed near one end wall of said receptacle to leave a narrow passageway between it and said end wall, a plurality of water pipes disposed near said end wall and perforated to deliver jets of water toward. said screen, nieans for introducing sand at'the upper end ot said passageway, `a water pipe disposed lengthwise oli said 'receptacle at a short distance troni the bottom thereof and arranged to direct jets ot water upwardly, a'discharge conduit in the upper portion of said receptacle anda line inesh rotary cylindrical screen having one end that registers with said discharge conduit and through which water must pass to reach said discharge conduit.

vsaid receptacle to direct horizontal jets of water into said sand as it descends through said passageway, a perforated water pipe extending lengthwise o't said receptacle in close proximity to the bottoni thereot for directing jets ot water upwardly, another perforated water pipe inclined with respect to the bottom of said receptacle and adjustable into various ai'igular positions, a cylin-` dricalrotating screen disposed in the upper portion oit said receptacle and having a discharge opening for water within the boundaries ol one end thereof and an adjustable ,telescopic jacket arranged tov lit over and be moved lengthwise aloneY said screen.

a. Means for controlling the outlet of water ktroni a sand washer and grader coinprising a screen oit line mesh inount-ed 'for rotation in the upper portion of a sand box, a discharge conduit registering with one end et said screen and an `extensible and adjustable jacket provided on said screen to vary the eili'ectivc area of the screen and the location at which the water enters the screen.

5. Means for controlling the outlet of water 'troni asand washer and grader coniprising a screenot fine niesh mounted :for rotation in the upper portion oit asand box, a disch arge. conduit registering with one end of said screen and an extensible and adjustable jacket provided on said screen to vary the ettective area oit the screen andthe losuenan n. Mnawrn.

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